Chewing gum package



March 5, 1940. 'r. HUSTON 2,192,472

CHEWING GUM PACKAGE Filed Oct. 20, 1936 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNHTED sr'rss CHEWING GUM PACKAGE Tom Huston, Hartford, Conn, assignor to Shelby P. Langston, Miami, Fla.

Application October 20, 1936, Serial No. 106,5921

3 Claims. (01. 2%;46)

My invention relates to chewing gum packages. It has among its objects to provide an improved gum package and more particularly an improved package of an improved folded type adapted to be folded in an attractive and convenient form when the gum is shipped, ofiered for sale, or carried in the pocket, and to be opened after the manner of a wallet to permit a gum stick to be very conveniently removed. 101 A further object of my invention is to provide such an improved package having an improved double-ended.non-collapsible compartment struccollapsible transverse flexible connection therebetween so that the package may be readily opened after the manner of a Wallet, withthe package flexed backward to dispose the gum sticks on opposite sides of said transverse flexible portion at such an angle to one another as to 3m permit'ready removal of any selected stick by grasping the end of the stick adjacent the flexible portion of the package.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide such an improved gum package which is I also adapted to retain the gum sticks securely therein and one which will further'maintain its shape despite handling or the removal'of one or more of the gum sticks therefrom. Still another object of my invention is to produce such an improved gum package which While having the advantages above set forth, is also adapted tobe very inexpensively produced.

These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will however hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing 5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of this form of my improved wallet type package as held open in the hand during the process of removing. a gum stick therefrom;

Fig.2 is a perspective. view showing the package 56' inclosed position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the closed package shownin Figure 2; 5

Figmlis a similar side elevation with the package laid out flat to show features of itsconstruction, and v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the package when disposed flat as shown in Figure 4, to bring out other featuresof this construction.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, it will be noted v that I there show my improved package asformed 10! fromv a single body or blank, generally indicated at B. p This blank is preferably of rather thin cardboard and carries on opposite sides of a transverse flexible portion a plurality of longi- I tudinally spaced series of gum sticks, indicated we at G, the sticks in each series being arranged in parallel relation in thesame plane and lengthwise of the package. As shown, my improved package is also provided at its opposite ends with improved non-collapsible gum stick retaining 0 compartment means, and with an improved transversefiexible connection between the series of gum sticks; all whereby it is made possible to. produce my improved wallet type package openable into the position shown in Figure 1 and 5. also adapted to be folded or closed to the, position shown in Figure 2 during shipment or when on display or when carried in the pocket.

Referring more particularly to my improved construction, it will be noted that theblank B is transversely scored on parallel lines at l and 2, adjacent the remote ends of the two'series of gum sticks, the distance between the scorings i and 2 being substantially equal to the thickness of the sticks. -Further, it will be noted that I provide 85 compartment forming portions 3 which extend from the scorings 2 over'the adjacent ends of the gum sticks, these portions 3 herein beingv provided with clipped corners. Thus, the two portions 3 extend in opposite directions toward 40 V sheath members A suitably attached by adhesive as at 5 to the upper face of oppositely extending gum carrying portions 6 of the blank B, each of these portions ,6 being of substantially the length and width of the series of gumsticks whenthe latter are laid close together as shown. Thus, the portions 3 connected toportions 6 by vertical end walls 1 between the parallel scoring lines I s rricE.

and 2, and also the tubular sheath members 4, provide compartment means in which the several gum sticks are disposed and cooperate in effectively retaining the sticks against loss or displacement. Further, it will be noted that due to the scoring lines I, 2, the end portions 1 and portions 3, a substantially non-collapsible compartment structure is provided and one in which the two members 3 may lie flat in engagement with one another in the closed position of the package without causing gapping or an angular disposition of either member 3.

Intermediate the two series of gum sticks, I also provide transverse parallel scoring lines 8 and 9 disposed on opposite sides and equally spaced from the transverse center line. As shown, these lines 8 and 9 are adjacent the adjacent ends of the different series of sticks and are spaced by an intermediate portion ill of the body B which is of substantially the width of the combined thickness of the two series of gum sticks. Thus, it is not only made possible for the two gum carrying portions 6 to be folded from the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 to the position shown in Figure 2 wherein the two end members abut in substantial parallelism, but also, by reason of the portion ill and the two portions 1, to produce the substantially non-collapsible double ended flat lying package shown in Figure 2 and having means at each end which resist collapse. Moreover, it will be noted that due to the provision of the intermediate flexible portion comprising the portion lll connected by the scoring lines 8 and 9 to the gum carrying portions 6, it is also made possible for the package shown closed in Figures 2 and 3, to be opened after the manner of a wallet and disposed in the position shown in Figure 1 whenever it is desired to remove a stick. More particularly, the construction is such that with the outer face of one portion 6 resting upon the fingers of, for example, the left hand, as shown in that figure, the other portion is enabled to drop downward into the angular relation shown relative to the portion 5 held in the hand, in such manner as thus to expose the adjacent ends of both series of gum sticks G so that any selected one of the same may be very conveniently withdrawn from its sheath t, as by the thumb and fingers of the right hand. Also of course it will be evident that when the package is so disposed, if the user Wishes to tear off any selected stick and wrapper as a unit, rather than pull the stick out of its wrapper, this also may be very conveniently done.

As a result of my improved construction, it is made possible to produce an improved and attractive flat package wherein the gum is very compactly packed and wherein gapping is eliminated. Further, the construction is such that the package retains its shape and continues to perform its function even after the removal of one or more sticks of gum, as distinguished from permitting the gum sticks to be separated as in the usual gumpackage. Moreover, the package is very convenient in that it is readily opened and disposes the adjacent ends of all of the sticks so that they may be readily removed by withdrawing the foil or paper wrapped sticks from the sheaths while leaving the latter attached to the package. Further, it will be noted that due to the improved non-collapsible structure at the opposite ends of the folded package, a form of package is provided which is well adapted to stand handling, while my improved compartment forming means also effectually prevent the loss of sticks from the package. Attention is also directed to the fact that since my improved package may be made from a single sheet of material, it may be very inexpensively produced, while the structure is also such as readily to lend itself to manufacturing and filling by automatic machinery. Attention is also directed to the fact that the structure is such as to produce panels of substantial size on each face of the package when closed, in such manner as to provide attractive advertising space, while of course the ability of the package to stand up under long continued carrying in the pocket also increases the advertising value of the matter carried on the package. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have in this application specifically described one form which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form is chosen for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A package for holding a plurality of articles to be selectively dispensed, including two article carrying portions foldable into closed position and having a transverse flexible portion therebetween, tubular article holding means secured in parallel relation to said article carrying portions with their adjacent open ends toward and adjacent said flexible portion and closed thereby when said package is closed, said article holding means being disposable between said article carrying portions when the latter are closed, said article carrying po-rtionshaving flexible extensions at their ends remote from said foldable portion forming end closures for said article holding means at the open ends thereof remote from said flexible portion and also forming flaps overlying portions of said article holding means adjacent said last mentioned ends.

2. A package for holding a plurality of articles to be selectively dispensed including two article carrying portions foldable into closed position and having a flexible portion therebetween, a plurality of tubular individual article holding sheath members attached to each of said articlev carrying portions longitudinally thereof with their adjacent open ends toward said foldable portion and closed by the latter when the package is closed, and flap means on the free ends of said article carrying portions for closing the other open ends of said sheathmembers and having their extremities overlying each other and the adjacent portions of said sheath members and disposed between the latter members when the package is closed.

3. A gum package comprising a longitudinally extending member having longitudinally spaced carrying portions each having secured thereto a plurality of tubular gum stick receiving sheath members secured in parallel relation longitudinally thereof and having a transverse flexible portion therebetween transversely scored on parallel lines spaced longitudinally by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of two sheath members to permit closing of said package by folding said article carrying portions into overlying parallel relation wherein said flexible portion forms a closure for the adjacent open ends of said sheath members, said carrying portions also being transversely scored at their remote ends on parallel lines spaced by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a single sheath member to form right angle closure portions for the remote ends of said sheath members and having end flap members beyond said second scoring adapted to overlie the remote end portions of said sheath members while exposing the portions thereof adjacent said flexible portion and engageable in substantially parallel relation when said package is closed.

TOM HUSTON. 

